Tuesday, July 1, 2014

TORTILIS ENTERS THE SOLAR SYSTEM: KENYA CAMP IS GOING FULL ON SOLAR POWER

Cheli & Peacock is proud to announce as of June 1, 2014, Tortilis Camp operates on 100% solar power 24 hours a day. The Kenya luxury camp joins other Cheli & Peacock properties, Kitich Camp and Elephant Pepper Camp, as fully powered by solar energy. The C&P Portfolio’s seven high end camps are ecologically and sustainability-minded, partially or fully powered by solar panels. The long-term goal is for all to join the exclusive 100% club.

Until now, the luxury camp generated its own power with a diesel generator, which ran for eight hours. The switch to solar power will help the camp save up to 7,400 gallons of diesel a year, dropping a sizeable amount of CO2 emissions per year. A total of 190 solar panels are installed, enough to power 48 batteries for night usage. The unobtrusive panels are only visible from the air so guests may enjoy silent, green energy.

Tortilis Camp was one of the first “eco-lodges” of its kind in East Africa, and is currently certified with a prestigious Silver Eco-rating. The camp has an exemplary sustainable tourism policy, which includes leasing and managing the 30,000 acre private Kitirua Conservancy, with the local community benefiting directly from tourism, and preserving the Amboseli eco-system.

Tortilis Camp, situated in Amboseli National Park, has 16 standard tents, a family tent and a private house, all with breathtaking views of snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro and numerous elephant families that populate the area.

Rates start at $490 per person sharing per night and include all meals, Kitirua Conservation fees, guided bush walks, bush breakfasts and sundowners, local airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit www.tortilis.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

FRIEND OR FOE: GUESTS PARTICIPATE IN ANTI-POACHING

Meet a rhino’s best friends: the tracker dogs of Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kenya. Guests of Lewa Safari Camp have a rare safari option of working with an elite and highly trained force: the anti-poaching unit. Welcome to tracker dog training.

Travelers of all ages may work with the conservancy’s tracker dogs and rangers. Guests receive a briefing and choose someone to play the “bad guy.” A young bloodhound rises to the challenge, taking in the scent of your footprint. Head off with a ranger to a spot you deem sufficient, maybe far and near a group of impala. It won’t be long before the dog leads the others to your exact location.
Tracker dogs don’t need much to follow a scent – whether it rains or a print is six months old. They have been used successfully on several anti-poaching operations. It isn’t a surprise that they’re treated like royalty within the conservancy.

Other safari options for guests include visits to the conservancy’s headquarters – a great follow-up to tracker dog training. See what headquarters do for security, operations, education and healthcare (visits free of charge). Time this visit with Lewa Safari Camp’s two slots a week to visit three orphaned baby black rhinos ($15 per person), who are being hand raised by the conservancy’s rangers. There are strict guidelines concerning this interaction.

Tracker dog training is $10 per person and free for children under 14. Lewa Safari Camp rates start at $380 per person sharing per night and include accommodation, game drives and other safari activities, airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit www.lewasafaricamp.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.


Note : Lewa Wildlife Conservancy was created to protect and conserve Black and White Rhinos as well as other rare and endangered species, including the Grevy’s Zebra. It’s one of the most successful examples of sustainable tourism in the world. Lewa Safari Camp is the only camp owned by the conservancy with its profits re-invested into the conservancy’s crucial conservation and community work.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

AFRICAN ANIMAL YEARBOOK

The African Animal Year Book was just published and there was much snorting and stomping, ripping and roaring to see who won what. Here’s a sneak peak:

1.      LEAST VAIN
Warthog
The French have a word for it – jolie-laide – someone who’s ugly in a way that makes them attractive.  So, too the warthog. On the downside, his head is huge and his butt is bitty, so he looks off-kilter, like his head is about to land in mud.  But, hey, he comes from the pig family.  And those four big warts on his head?  They’re a defensive measure – fat reserves in a fight.  Sure, he’s got an uncombed black mane half-way down his back, razor sharp twin tusks and body-hair like a bad five o’clock shadow.  But we love him, warts and all, because he’s just not that into himself. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF DARREN SWIM

2.      MOST STYLISH
 The Zebra
Zebras must read Vogue. One of the fashion magazine’s editors used to say, “All you need in your wardrobe is black, white and red.” (Two out of three isn’t bad.) Zebras may look like they’re serving time – but prison garb drew inspiration from them, not the other way around. Another vice-versa: Is the kinetic zebra white with black stripes or black with white stripes? If you guessed white because of their ivory underbellies, you’d be wrong. Zebras are socialized creatures living in herds and harems, loving Facebook and Twitter. When danger threatens, they close ranks, causing predators to suffer motion dazzle from the pin-wheeling stripes. We just find them dazzling.
PHOTO COURTESY OF BURRARD LUCAS FOR NORMAN CARR SAFARIS
3.       CLASS CLOWN
The Shoebill
Ornithologists rank the Shoebill one of the five most desirable birds in Africa, but its classmates rank it as the funniest, and a bit rank at that, living as it does in swampy areas. Five feet tall, with a bill as big as a boot, its wingspan can reach eight feet.  This blue-gray “statue-like” bird resembles a creature from Alice or Wonderland, or possibly The Black Lagoon. It’s not just their alien looks, it’s their voices, too, that keep playmates chuckling.  They moo like a cow, whine like a kid in a candy store, and clatter their bills during nesting season.  How can we thank you for a million laughs?

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBIN POPE SAFARIS
4.       CLASS JOCK
The Crocodile
Crocodiles are among the best predators and they don’t even have to train hard to get to that level! They are born fit, with great physical characteristics that allow them to be quick inside and outside the water. Their scales, called ‘scutes’, unattached to bone, are the reason why crocs are fast and flexible. That enviable greenish-brown skin color acts as camouflage while swimming and while tanning along the river banks. Prey basically jump into that toothy smile, and, thanks to their great night vision, they can indulge in late night cravings. They live the sweet life of predators with all the perks. Long story short: They are flexy and sexy and they know it.
  
CROCODILE IN ZAMBIA: PHOTO COURTESY OF HANS HILLEWAERT
5.       MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED
The Gerenuk
“Mr. Smarty Pants” 101: how to survive in the wild. He may not be the biggest or the fastest, but the top of the class is the gerenuk, known for a huge instinctual intelligence found in his surprisingly tiny head. Don’t let his size fool you. The gerenuk performs a feat few four-legged wild mammals can: He balances on two legs with a human-like stance, stretches his “giraffe neck” and reaches for the stars… er… green plants he needs to survive. Though gerenuks aren’t omniscient, add in panoramic vision, attuned ears and clever tactics for evading predators, and he comes pretty close. “All for one and one for all,” is his motto. His entire species help one another persevere. All gerenuks receive a graduation cap.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOY’S CAMP
6.       MOST LIKELY TO END UP ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACKS
The Wild Dog
Don’t let the two-toned African wild or painted dog’s friendly looks deceive you. Yes, he’s family-centered. Yes, he likes to play. But, maybe too much? His idea of play is hunting for the fun of it, and passing on his hunting skills to his pups. His player attitude may help him to maintain his reputation of being the best hunter in the savannah, but it isn’t helping him maintain the species: he’s highly endangered. If his numbers are dwindling from top dog jealousy, his enemies should remember the saying, “Don’t hate the player, hate the game”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHIAWA CAMP
7.       SEXIEST
The Leopard
Its couture fur, marked with rosettes, makes this animal the sexiest of the class. Smart is sexy and leopards just have that knowing spark that makes them successful in the wild. They have an opportunistic hunting behavior and a great ability to run at high speeds and climb trees; they rule the bush like a runway, with style and confidence. Leopards are elusive animals, and we all know that there’s nothing sexier than playing hard to get.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SABI SABI
8.       CUTEST COUPLE
The Elephants
To show affection, the largest living terrestrial creatures lock trunks -- no mean feat since their snouts can weigh up to 400 pounds. Everything about them is large, making it tough to conceal PDA’s or just being in the room. Elephant brains are larger than any other land animal, too, so they never forget anything, especially Valentine’s Day. Their huge ears in the shape of Africa serve to cool them down (in steamy weather and otherwise).  Big ears.  Big minds. Big hearts. Big love!

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIETER RAS, LEWA SAFARI CAMP

Monday, May 12, 2014

PAINTBRUSH IN THE BUSH: KENYA’S ART SAFARI

The colors, vistas and landscape of Kenya’s Samburu region bring you to a standstill. Sometimes a camera just can’t capture what the eyes see. Joy’s Camp Art Safari is a chance to create an image that conveys a single moment. A whisper through swaying grass, a reflection in rippling water and sunlight dusting smooth volcanic rock.

A local artist accompanies you during a walking or driving safari to sketch on location. Feet on the ground, you’re in the middle of the African bush – a 360 degree view of untouched land in the Northern Frontier. Choose watercolors or charcoal pencils, grab an easel and let your hand glide over paper. The artist is there for instruction and advice. Popular spots include the winding Ewaso Nyiro, a river lined with Fever Trees and sand, creating an oasis of green; and the top of Penny’s rock for views of an expansive arid landscape – looming mountains on the horizon. Itineraries are flexible in the bush, so choose a departure from early morning to sundown; choose the position of the sun for the light contrasts you desire most.

Joy’s Camp Art Safari is inspired by the site’s previous artist, Joy Adamson. Joy was a part of history when she helped reintroduce a domestic lion, Elsa, to the wild for the first time. It became a best-selling book, Born Free. When she moved on to the area where Joy’s Camp stands today, Joy documented the plants and people of Kenya through her drawings.

There are 10 chic canvas bedrooms at Joy’s Camp overlooking a natural spring. Each tent is uniquely decorated with handmade glass and vibrant fabrics of the local nomadic tribes, and has a private veranda, ideal for game viewing. Joy’s Camp is one of ten properties in Kenya with a Gold eco-rating, the highest level of environmental responsibility.


Book the art safari in advance. Rates start at $350 per person sharing per night, and include meals, game drives, bush walks, bush breakfasts, sundowners, local airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit joyscamp.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

FROM BOOK TO MOVIE TO FOUNDATION: BORN FREE CELEBRATES 30th ANNIVERSARY WITH “BORN FREE SAFARI”


KENYA (04/2014) Cheli & Peacock’s nine-day “Born Free Safari” in rugged Kenya has the honor of partnering with celebrity turned conservationist, Virginia McKenna, who after starring in the film Born Free, founded the Born Free Foundation. The nonprofit organization sponsors projects to save, rescue and protect wildlife around the world. To celebrate its 30th Anniversary, all bookings for this safari result in donations towards the foundation and its mission to help wildlife everywhere. The October 22 – 31, 2014 journey is $6,345 per person sharing, excluding international flights.

From best-selling book to Academy Award-winning movie, Born Free has captured the hearts of many. It is the story of Joy and George Adamson who reintroduced a captive animal to its Kenyan home, a relationship forged between lioness and man and the first success story in history documented for the world to remember.

Elsa’s Kopje – the location where Elsa the lioness was reintroduced to the wild and one of the areas where Born Free was filmed. Dine and partake in talks with Virginia McKenna on her experience working with lions and Elsa’s owners on set. There’s a moment she knew Elsa had changed her life forever.

A bush breakfast takes place by Elsa’s grave within Meru National park during one of many spectacular safaris. Elsa was accepted into the wild, her legacy continuing through her cubs and seen in her DNA documented in lions, today.

Joy’s Camp – Elsa’s Kopje’s sister camp. The “Milestone Safari” continues to the place where Joy Adamson relocated and reintroduced another cat, Penny the leopard. Guest speakers will give talks and show films on the history of Joy’s Camp and the surrounding area. They enhance your view of the owner’s life, the continued reintroduction of other animals and the surrounding Samburu region.

Tortilis Camp – a luxury lodge witness to Born Free Foundation projects within the dusty plains of Amboseli. The region is known for its elephant population consisting of large groups of families – this includes a world famous group with two Born Free adopted elephants. Visit elephant expert Cynthia Moss’ research center where Cynthia’s vital work has been funded by Born Free for 22 years. A visit to Born Free’s Lion-proof bomas project is included – a project initiated in 2010 to combat conflict between local pastoralists and lions with the use of bomas (night enclosures).

The final day in Kenya is commemorated with a farewell lunch with the Born Free Kenya team in a country where one historic event sparked conservation missions around the world.

Born Free Foundation continues the vision the Adamsons had with Elsa the lioness, and the vision McKenna has today: a lifetime commitment to wildlife.

The “Born Safari” includes accommodation at Elsa’s Kopje, Joy’s Camp and Tortilis Camp; and all internal flights, conservation/ park fees, game drives, bush walks, bush meals, sundowners, membership to Flying Doctors Society, laundry and airstrip transfers. For more information, visit www.chelipeacock.com or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

SECRETS OF A SKY ISLAND: MATHEWS FOREST FLOURISHES AS PROTECTED ECOSYSTEM

SAMBURU, Kenya (04/2014) Mathews Forest is more pristine than ever, marking its 50th year as a Kenyan Forest Reserve. What’s remarkable is this isolated ecosystem, a tropical mountain forest, in the Northern Frontier District, is accessible as a travel getaway – and it’s malaria-free. Those who seek off-the beaten path destinations direct themselves to Kitich Camp, the only property within the sky island. This is a place where secrets are still being unraveled by scientists, new species discovered. This is a place where cars are left behind. And, this is a place where your guides are the Samburu and Ndorobo people, who grew up by the dense forest and granite outcrops.

To hear that there are no roads is unheard of. Fortunately, this makes for the best kind of safari: guided forest walks through unmarked terrain.  You’ll be one of maximum 12 guests in the surrounding area, hoping to glimpse one of the endemic species.

Mathews Range is one of the very few areas where you can see the rare De Brazza Monkey outside of the Rwenzori Mountains. The biological island is also home to melanistic leopards (black panthers), forest elephants, more than 150 species of butterflies, uncounted species of wild orchids and endemic giant cycads whose origins reach back 280 million years.

Locals do not live within the forest, as it is respected by elders as a valuable resource that helps sustain life in the dry savanna below. They are more than happy to share their culture and treasured ecosystem – both things Kitich Camp and Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy aim to preserve. As a key tourism partner of Namunyak, Kitich Camp pays conservancy fees directly to the community, working with them on a grassroots level.

On the upper slopes of the Mathews Mountain Range, Kitich Camp features six traditional en-suite safari tents, all with exceptional views of the lush Ngeng River, and a main lounge that overlooks the floodlit river glade where animal sightings are frequent as dusk approaches. An intimate size creates an intimate experience.  

Rates start at $450 per person sharing per night and include all meals, drinks, guided forest walks, river swimming and dips in natural rock pools, bird watching, bush picnics, local airstrip transfers and limited laundry. For more information, visit http://kitichcamp.com/ or email info@chelipeacock.co.ke.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

VILLAGES UNTOUCHED BY TIME IN NORTHERN PORTUGAL

New York, NY (04/14) Go back in time with “Walking the wild hill country”. On Foot Holiday’s self-guided eight-day hike through the hills of Northern Portugal will take you to the most rural villages where you will experience Portugal’s traditional country life. Hike through the charming little hamlets of Soajo, Lindoso, Brufe, Camp Geres and the Roman Road to Emaus, until reaching Pousada Santa Maria do Bouro, a monastery that was converted into a top hotel.

On this tour you will visit Portugal’s national park, Peneda-GerĂªs, a splendid landscape characterized by lush green valleys and granite hills. Hidden in the park you will find delightful villages where rural communities continue a lifestyle that is centuries old. These small towns are the epitome of remoteness. See typical Portuguese granaries, espigueiros, where farmers keep their maize, to feed to their long-horned cattle; and walk on ancient paved footpaths and along the Via Romana high above the valley.

Every On Foot itinerary puts a strong emphasis on culture and local hospitality.  Throughout your journey, the choice of accommodation will vary, ranging from friendly pensions and traditional Portuguese houses to a luxurious hotel. You will also have the opportunity (for an extra charge) to taste typical dishes at Brufe’s remarkable restaurant, Restaurant Abocanhado, recognized worldwide for its delicious bacalhau, and can have a memorable evening at Emaus, tasting Paulo’s menu tradicional, accompanied by his excellent range of local wines.   

This tour is available from April to October. Rates for eight nights per person sharing are from $984 and include accommodation, breakfast daily, one evening meal, six picnics, detailed itinerary and supporting material, and luggage transfers between hotels.

For more information contact On Foot Holidays at (011)44 1722 322 652 or visit www.onfootholidays.co.uk
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Note to editors: On Foot Holidays features predominantly linear, self-guided walking holidays in France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia and the UK’s south-west. Each walk has been designed by a ‘Route Adviser’ – a person who lives locally and has painstakingly developed an itinerary through varied countryside, packing in as much culture as possible en route and seeking out the most welcoming small hotels, farmhouses and village rooms. The emphasis is very much on good food and wine after a day’s walking. On Foot Holidays is a member of AITO (the Association of Independent Tour Operators).